The type of crusher is well known and this invention applies particularly to the kind having a rotor driven about a vertical axis. A feed of rock is caused to fall axially into the rotor to discharge radially therefrom at high speed. This accelerated rock strikes the wall of a crusher chamber around the rotor where it breaks into smaller pieces which fall from the crusher chamber for collection and possibly further treatment. It is to be understood that the term "rock" as used in this specification is to be interpreted as including any material which may be broken from larger to smaller pieces in the manner described.
In the very nature of things these crushers are subjected to conditions of heavy wear due to abrasion and impact forces which occur. This results in the need to use expensive hard wearing components and also necessitates replacement of worn components.
Today the majority of rotary crushers of this type are self-lining in that the rock being crushed forms a lining on the crusher chamber wall and against which feed material is discharged to be broken into smaller pieces while also breaking the pieces forming the lining. During use this lining is self-replacing and it is desirable that as much of the surface of the crusher that is subject to wear be made to have this automatic formation of rock lining as possible. Also it is obviously desirable to have the components subjected to wear easily replaceable. These are particularly the rotor exit and top and bottom plate linings and the ring feed inlet to the rotor.
Access to wear-prone parts for inspection is, with known units, difficult to achieve and maintenance inspection is virtually impossible. This is undesirable as work on crushers of the type referred to is frequently undertaken by unskilled labour.
The object of the present invention is to provide a crusher of the above type which is effective in use and which can be easily maintained and repaired when necessary.